Three years after our breakup, you came back to China, and I'm just giving up. Why are you cryi

At the entrance of the Tomato Community, Lu Hao stood ramrod straight, hands in his pockets.

Not far away, a pink figure drove over from the street.

Ning Shu, riding her little electric scooter that rattles everywhere except for the bell, wearing a pink helmet, stopped in front of Lu Hao. She put one foot on the ground and shoved a large bag of lunch hanging from the handlebars into Lu Hao's arms.

"Two portions. Sister Xiyue said she'll be over soon, so wait for her. I'm going to work now!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned on the throttle, and the electric scooter shot off with a "whoosh," merging into the traffic and leaving only a dashing silhouette.

"Hey, slow down..."

Before Lu Hao could finish speaking, he had already disappeared.

He looked down at the bag in his arms; four insulated containers, neatly stacked.

This young lady is truly dedicated and responsible.

Lu Hao chuckled and shook his head. He walked to the stone bench next to him, sat down, placed the lunchbox at his feet, and took out a cigarette to light.

The smoke rose in wisps, but was quickly dispersed by the wind.

Suddenly, he felt someone watching him.

Lu Hao turned around abruptly. The entrance to the residential area was deserted, except for a few elderly people with children.

A thought struck him, and his gaze unconsciously shifted upwards. On the balcony of the sixteenth floor, a figure seemed to flicker briefly before disappearing behind the curtains.

"An illusion?" Lu Hao frowned slightly and muttered to himself.

It's not the weekend, Lin Ran should be at the company at this time.

"What misconception?"

A cool yet amused voice rang in my ears.

Lu Hao froze, then turned his head and saw Xiao Xiyue standing beside him, smiling at him.

He paused for half a second, stubbed out his cigarette, and chuckled, "It's nothing, it's just that seeing you feels like a dream. The company's so busy, why did you come all this way to have dinner with me?"

"I missed you," Xiao Xiyue replied naturally.

This completely silenced Lu Hao.

He still struggles to handle that kind of direct attack.

"Ahem," Lu Hao laughed to cover up his embarrassment, picked up the lunchbox with one hand and took Xiao Xiyue's hand with the other, "Come on, I'll take you to a good place to eat."

The two passed through the gate and arrived at a pavilion in the central garden of the community.

Lu Hao took out the insulated boxes one by one and placed them on the stone table.

Two servings of rice, one serving of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and one serving of beef with celery. The aroma was enticing, and the colors were irresistible.

"Here, try it and see if this little girl's cooking skills have declined." Lu Hao handed the chopsticks to Xiao Xiyue.

"Little girl? You call me that so affectionately." Xiao Xiyue took the chopsticks and said sourly.

"Um..." Lu Hao touched his nose and quickly changed the subject, "There's something I've always been curious about."

Xiao Xiyue looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips: "You want to ask why I allowed you to continue contacting Ning Shu, right?"

"That's right."

"She's very innocent and pure-hearted. I feel at ease knowing she'll take care of you when I'm not around." Xiao Xiyue paused, then added, "Besides, I know she knows her limits and won't do anything out of line."

Lu Hao paused in his eating.

It seems that Xiao Xiyue was unaware that Ning Shu had a relationship with her.

She simply thought that Ning Shu was a sensible, thoughtful, and caring girl next door.

That night's absurdity ultimately became a secret between him and Ning Shu.

Lu Hao remained silent for a moment, but ultimately decided to bury this secret in his heart forever.

He didn't want to cause any more trouble for the woman in front of him who had sacrificed so much for him.

He took a deep breath and said casually, "I'm a grown man, and I've made it through all these years. You think I can't take care of myself?"

"You drink and smoke every day, and you stay up all night all the time. How can your health possibly be good?"

"If you're going to hire a nutritionist, you can find one who's certified."

Xiao Xiyue looked at him with a strange expression: "Don't you know what Ning Shu does?"

"A nurse, what else could she be?" Lu Hao frowned.

He didn't know what Ning Shu did before, but when he went to pick her up from the hospital last time, what else could a nurse do besides work the night shift?

It can't be a doctor, he's too young.

However, what Xiao Xiyue said next almost made Lu Hao spit out the food in his mouth.

"Ning Shu studied traditional Chinese medicine, and her teacher was a leading figure in the field."

"Cough cough cough..." Lu Hao was choked and his face turned red on the spot.

Xiao Xiyue quickly put down her chopsticks, walked around, and gently patted his back.

It took Lu Hao a long time to catch his breath. His eyes widened in disbelief: "No way? If she has these qualities, her family background must be quite good. How come she was working odd jobs and sharing that tiny, shabby room with me before?"

"Who says that studying traditional Chinese medicine necessarily means you come from a prominent family?" Xiao Xiyue rolled her eyes at him again, annoyed. "She was working part-time because she was waiting for her hospital internship assignment, and she had nothing else to do."

"Okay." Lu Hao's lips twitched, finally accepting this surreal reality.

Since Ning Shu studied traditional Chinese medicine, she is undoubtedly skilled in regulating the body, which explains why Xiao Xiyue hired her.

"How much salary do you pay her each month?" Lu Hao asked curiously.

"I wanted to give her some, but she absolutely refused. In the end, she only agreed to accept money for her meals."

"You're so ruthless! Even Zhou Bapi isn't as cruel as you."

"So," Xiao Xiyue looked at him meaningfully, "you're not allowed to yell at her anymore, understand?"

Lu Hao didn't say anything, just kept his head down and silently ate his rice.

He thought back carefully and realized that Ning Shu had indeed taken meticulous care of him during the time they shared the apartment.

Not to mention three meals a day, even his smelly socks, which he himself had forgotten where he put, would always appear clean and fresh on the bedside table the next day, along with his new clothes.

It seems I really took her efforts for granted.

Xiao Xiyue is right, we should treat this girl better from now on.

After finishing her meal, Xiao Xiyue had other business to attend to at her company, so she didn't stay long and left in a hurry.

Lu Hao packed up the insulated box and walked out of the pavilion.

After taking only two steps, the feeling of being watched returned.

He paused, but instead of turning around, he immediately looked up, his gaze fixed on the balcony on the sixteenth floor.

This time, the figure did not dodge.

It's Lin Ran.

She stood there, quietly watching him.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Lin Ran turned and walked into the living room.

Lu Hao frowned, and finally let out a long sigh.

He had previously considered asking Lin Ran if Su Yu or Fang Ruoyun had said anything to her.

But before he could ask any more questions, he was already with Xiao Xiyue.

Asking now, aside from the fact that it's inappropriate for someone of that status, would yield meaningless answers.

Forget it, let's just cut our losses.

Ning Shu is right. I can no longer be indecisive; I must learn to make choices.

Otherwise, the life you have now will be shattered because of your reckless choices.